Kolasinac to the Camp Nou?
The fallout from Arsenal’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League continues with reports that Sead Kolasinac could accept an offer from Barcelona.
Apparently the 25-year-old defender is on the Catalan club’s shortlist “as a potential new left-back signing”. TalkSPORT, quoting Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, says that Barca want another defender to challenge Jordi Alba for a place in the starting XI.
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What’s more, cash-strapped Arsenal will “part ways with the Bosnian for around £20m”.
According to the Daily Star, that money will be used to bring in Joachim Andersen, 23, from Sampdoria. The Danish centre-back has impressed in Serie A this season.
Pipped to Pepe?
There are reports in the respected French sports daily L’Equipe that Liverpool are about to table a bid for Lille’s Nicolas Pepe.
The 24-year-old has long been a target for Gunners boss Unai Emery, but it seems that Arsenal’s failure to qualify for the Champions League has prompted a rethink by the Ivory Coast frontman.
Instead he is ready to accept an offer from Liverpool. The Anfield club are apparently ready to give Lille £71m for the highly-rated striker.
Another French failure
The Gunners could also miss out on Lyon target Moussa Dembele with Manchester United “leading the race” to land the forward, who netted 20 times in 46 matches last season.
The 22-year-old has been scouted by Emery in recent months, and with rumours suggesting that possibly both Alexander Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be on their way out of the Emirates, the Spaniard is desperate to bolster his frontline.
But CaughtOffside says that United are confident of doing a deal with Lyon for Dembele in the coming weeks.
Good news for Gooners?
But perhaps amid all the doom and gloom enveloping the Gunners there is a glimmer of hope, at least as far as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goes.
The Daily Mirror says that the Golden Boot joint winner has given “a strong hint he will remain at Arsenal this summer” amid rumours linking him with a lucrative move to China.
And what is the hint? It came, inevitably, on social media when, in response to an Arsenal fan likening the Gabon striker to Thierry Henry, Aubameyang “gave his endorsement of the message, which was the first time he had liked or tweeted anything since the Europa League final”.
So there you have it, he’s clearly staying.
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